Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has given a lengthy speech before League of Municipalities of the Philippines covering a wide range of issues. During his speech he sent a stark warning to the United States which itself is in the midst of a drug crisis that could rapidly spiral into the kind of catastrophe that The Philippines faced prior to Duterte’s election in 2016.

Donald Trump has recently proposed giving the death penalty to drug dealers, while the so-called “opiate” crisis continues to grow in the US. Duterte warned those listening in the United States,

“You will find that one day, to your horror, that drugs will swallow your nation”.

Duterte further reiterated that he will not let drug dealers and abusers “brutalise society”. Taking aim at so-called “human rights activists”, Duterte called such people stupid when failing to realise the extent of the brutality inflicted on normal people by drug addicts. He cited examples of the violent rape and bodily mutilation of infants, the murder of entire families including the old and frail and how such violent maniacs cannot be easily subdued by police officers.

He stated that while ideally one would like to take criminals alive, that when police are in the process of destroying drug laboratories, “..only if the idiot (drug abuser) resists violently, then kill the idiot”.

Turning back to the horrors that drugs have inflicted he said,

“These are the stories which the human rights people ignore…it’s all in plain view what is happening to the country and they come here as if they know everything.

…If you say bullshit things in front of me I slap you….Why are you fucking in my country”.

Duterte’s remarks were listened to intently by his audience. Throughout his address he remained humble, stating that he prefers the title of mayor to that of president.

Duterte’s speech affirmed his commitment to elevate the condition of the Filipino people as the first servant of their needs. Few politicians have ever come across so sincerely, humbly in terms of service, yet proudly in terms of patriotic pride.